


Stay

by halocentury



Series: kyluxxoxo 19 [4]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Assault, Blood, Bruises, Canon-Typical Violence, Han Knows a Bit Too Much About Police Procedure, M/M, Off Screen Violence, Police investigation, Running Away, Someone is lying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-31 10:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20113327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halocentury/pseuds/halocentury
Summary: Brendol winds up in the hospital. That should be good news, right?Not until Ben finds out where Hux has gone to.





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Submission for Week 5 of kyluxxoxo. The theme is road trip, only this is a one-way trip. Prompts filled are lost / map / station.

Brendol was in the hospital. He should’ve been delighted but all he could do was panic, awake at the kitchen table with his mom, giving all the wrong answers to the police officer. He was telling the truth but based on the man’s face, he didn’t believe him. 

Ben did his best to not shrink in on himself, sitting straighter than he normally did. Yet he couldn’t keep his fingers still, hid them under the table, gripping and re-gripping his shorts. Occasionally he glanced to his mom, who looked as bewildered as he did.

Brendol Hux accused his own son of putting him in the hospital, yet Armitage couldn’t defend himself. No one knew where he was.

Ben was the one feeling lost. Why hadn’t Hux contacted him? Where did he go?

Ten o’clock the neighbours of the Hux’es heard yelling coming their house. It went on for several minutes before all went quiet. This wasn’t unheard of, Brendol had raised his voice to his son previously, many times in fact. 

Ten minutes later her husband thought he had seen something running across the lawn, a hooded figure, carrying two duffel bags. Running away from the Hux household.

That they hadn’t seen before. 

She stayed inside while he ventured outside, treading quietly across the grass. He would’ve knocked on the door but it was ajar. Nudging it wider with his foot he stepped inside.

On the floor, closer to the closet, Mr. Hux laid flat on his back as though he chose to fall asleep there. If it hadn’t been for the blood snaking sluggishly out from under his head it wouldn’t have looked incriminating. 

At the hospital, regaining consciousness, he gave a full report of how his son attacked him. 

Ben was woken up at eleven by his mom, having already been woken up by the officer who rung at the door. 

Ben pulled on a shirt before coming downstairs, sullen and confused. 

How would he describe Armitage Hux? Did he get along with his dad? Had he ever shown an inclination towards violence? Did he get along with people at school? Had he discussed anything that had been bothering him to suggest he might lash out at anyone?

Ben gripped his thighs, shaking his head.

“This isn’t Hux’s fault!”

“He hit his father,” the officer explained slowly, as if the teenager didn’t already hear the whole story. “It’s lucky that Brendol Hux was only unconscious. We need to find Armitage before he hurts anyone else.”

“Hux has never hurt anyone!” Ben argued, looking up, glaring at the officer, despite the warning squeeze his mom pushed into his shoulder. “He and his dad have never got along but Hux wouldn’t attack him!”

“Brendol has indicated that it was his son who attacked him.”

“I know my friend! Yes, the two of them argue but Armitage has never hurt anyone!” Ben rubbed his eyes, willing himself not to cry despite the throbbing in his head or the tightness in his throat “I don’t know where he’s gone to, I haven’t seen or heard from him since yesterday afternoon. I’ve shown you my phone, he hasn’t texted or called. I haven’t heard anything but if I hear anything during the night, in the morning, I’ll let you know.”

The officer looked at him doubtfully, only to turn his gaze to the phone on the wall when it rang seconds later. 

Darting up to avoid the scrutiny Ben answered the phone. He never answered the home phone willingly, only using it now for much needed avoidance. He knew that his mom had to be rolling her eyes, or smirking, if not both, but when he answered the phone with a hurried hello he could already hear her answering the same questions the officer asked him.

“Ben?” 

It wasn’t the voice he wanted to hear, but perhaps it was best when the officer was likely listening to him. “Yeah dad?”

“I didn’t expect to hear you, I just saw you walking down the street,” his dad commented, his voice sounding weird and for once not due to the Bluetooth in his truck. 

Ben couldn’t have been more grateful that he was looking at the wall, his eyes widening. He kept wiggling his fingers, not wanting to arouse more suspicion. “Just… woke up.” 

“Yeah, you couldn’t be in two places.” There was a pause and Ben tried not to flinch or tense. “You only have the one sweatshirt that says ‘Kylo’ on it, right?”

The tears became real in that instant and Ben couldn’t decide what to do with his hands. “Let me ask mom,” Ben responded, grateful that he was able to keep his voice steady. 

The officer and his mom stopped talking when he turned back to face them. 

Ignoring his wet eyes Ben shrugged, wanting them to believe he was distraught. He was, for so many reasons, being in the house when he knew there was still a chance to find Hux being the first. He struggled for a feasible lie, a question that could double for another, when his eyes landed on the grocery list on the fridge. “Dad’s on his way home, he wants to know if he needs to pick up those groceries if you hadn’t this afternoon.”

If she was confused she didn’t show it. Instead she nodded. “He needs to get them.”

“Yeah dad, pick them up,” he repeated over the phone, voice loosening a fraction.

*

It didn’t feel real.

Five minutes later the officer had left their house. Ben phoned his dad from his cell the instant he was back in the kitchen. 

He had never been more grateful for forgetting his sweatshirt in Hux’s bedroom until now.

His dad was following Hux as best he could. He had driven past several bus stops but Hux hadn’t stopped yet and was now crossing through to one of the parks. Ben hadn’t heard of it, repeated it in his mind hoping he was just having a memory block, until his mom showed him her own phone with a map open.

It wasn’t a guarantee to which direction Hux was walking in but several blocks north and west of the park was the central terminal for the bus stations. Not only did all city buses depart from the station but also Greyhounds. 

“Stop him dad, please,” he begged, not wanting to take the chance of finding Hux himself. He didn’t know if the officer had left their neighbourhood. It would take him too long to get there by foot or bike and he didn’t want to put his mom in the middle of things either. 

Twenty minutes later he was still waiting, pacing and fingers fidgeting, when his phone rang.

“We got out just as a police car pulled into the station,” Han explained, Ben sighing in relief as soon as he heard the ‘We.’ “I’m stopping at a grocery store before coming home. I hope we need milk and cereal.”

When he arrived, bag in hand, he shook his head. “There was an unmarked car at the end of our street. I parked in the driveway so they could see me get out with the bag. I’ll go back outside in ten minutes to pick up one of his bags to check if the car is still there. If it’s clear he’ll come in with me.”

It took half an hour, and a trip to the garbage collection that wouldn’t have been at the curb had it been any other night, until Hux came inside. 

Ben squeezed him by reflex, hugging him harder out relief, until Hux flinched. Ben relaxed his hold only slightly, hands roaming down from his shoulders to his arms and eventually linking with his fingers, hidden by the long sleeves. “What is going on Hux? You had me terrified! The police were here, saying you attacked your dad!”

Hux slumped against him, head to his shoulder. “I can’t stay. I have to go,” he mumbled. 

Ben stroked the back of the hood in lieu of Hux’s head. “What happened?” Ben asked, not wanting to budge him. 

“Will you believe me? If Brendol already told them I attacked him…” 

Ben could feel the shudder and exhale, shaky breath hot on his neck. Most times it would’ve been related to them curled up in bed, either his own or Hux’s, but with his parents nearby, he didn’t kiss him. He just kept his hands gentle, coaxing softly. “Of course I believe you.”

Hux stepped back a fraction, not looking to his mom or dad who were standing to either side. Dirty fingers reached up for the hood, hesitating before pulling it down. 

Ben balled his hands into fists when his mom cursed. 

Hux’s eyes were glazed, not unlike his own, but not by tears. He was dazed, barely able to focus, for the bruise that was already forming around one eye. A split lip and bloody nose accompanied it.

Ben shook his head, recalling the flinch that had Hux folding into his arms.

Hux grimaced, dragging his red stained fingers across his mouth. “That… asshole. Had a video camera up in my room. I was just trying to defend myself.”

Ben hugged him again, hands flat and light on his back, not wanting to press hard on hidden bruises. Brendol may have been the one to cause pain but he would do what it took to make him feel good, safe, protected.

“You are staying here,” Ben breathed into his ear after kissing the side of his head. Eventually they would get Hux to the police station, maybe to the hospital, but not until morning. “Don’t go.”

Hux seemed to tremble but several seconds later he felt him nod into his shoulder.

They finally relaxed.

**Author's Note:**

> Brendol's A+ Parenting. Nonexistent as usual.


End file.
